Former VCU sprinter Dom Costanzo recently earned an invitation to the USOC’s Skeleton School in November.

RICHMOND, Va. – It’s probably not fair to call Dom Costanzo an adrenaline junkie, but he’s dabbled. From skydiving to snowboarding, the former VCU sprinter knows how to get his blood pumping. But speeding downhill at 80 miles per hour, on a sled slightly larger than a cafeteria tray? That’s new.

But that’s what lies ahead for the 22-year-old Costanzo, who recently won an invitation to USA Bobsled and Skeleton’s “Skeleton School” in November. Skeleton is an Olympic sliding sport similar to luge, but with competitors lying chest-down and face-first on their way down an icy track.

Costanzo, who graduated from VCU in 2013 with a degree in business management, earned his spot at Skeleton School through one of Team USA’s skeleton combines in Lake Placid, N.Y. Eleven of the combines, which are available to any person willing to try, were staged between May and September in seven North American cities.

Participants are graded on their abilities to perform eight different physical challenges that reflect the blend of speed and strength necessary for skeleton, including 15-, 30- and 45-meter dashes, the broad jump, squat and weigh toss. Each event is worth up to 100 points, which means the highest possible combined score is 800. Those with a score of 700 or better generally receive an invite to skeleton school, a feeder program to help the United States unearth and develop talent. Costanzo scored 749 points, which ranked fifth among the 34 combine attendees who took their shot this summer. Just 12 reached the 700-point threshold.